I wish that I would have come to this realization earlier in my career. I'm much better now, but I still work outside my contract time. The beginning of the school year is brutal for this middle school Special Education Teacher. While I'm setting up the IEP Progress Monitoring spreadsheets and student binders, I work about 10-20 hours more per week. However, once everything is set up, I've got it down to 4-6 hours per week.
Really loved the tone of this video! It’s not about hacks & time management, so much as prioritizing what’s important to you, and I think you did a great job of making that point. My key to work/life balance is leaving work at a decent hour. It varies for everybody, but for me, that’s 4/4:30. Anytime I start staying later than that, I find my mental health suffers and balance is out the window. Also not checking work email outside of that time! (except for Sunday night I always do Bc ain’t nobody trying to walk into work Monday morning into the middle of a situation/disaster completely unaware lol.)
I went down to 1/2 time this year for a mental health break. Thank you side hustle. I go in around 6:45 right now to prep/grade, teach three classes, and leave at 11:00. It feels like true balance - I have an hour for lunch, I work on my side hustle, I clean and do home stuff, and then I pick up my daughter at 3:15 feeling completely at peace and unfrazzled, but I don’t think my district will let me do it forever.
Thanks for these important reminders (especially the last point)! I am teaching 3 high school science classes this year, and am struggling to feel like I am even close to staying on top of everything. These reminders to slow down and take time for me are always something that benefits not only my personal life but also overflows into my classroom as well. 😀
I just don't work at home unless I absolutely want to! And when I absolutely want to, it's usually things I like that are fun! Which I think is pretty healthy.
Wow thank you so much for sharing your work/life balance with us. It helps me to see that I’m not alone and we all struggle with this concept. I love how you are choosing to do life and how structured and organized you are but also careful to keep room In your life to create. Loved the Bible reference as well. Keep up the great videos!!!❤️
I was looking for a video like this. I respect both mindsets- teachers that put in a ton of extra hours unpaid and teachers that don’t work any unpaid hours. I’m working towards the latter approach this year with the exception of a few hours here and there on passion projects
I like your video a lot! I am a teacher in Germany. When it comes to being aware of work-life balance it is completely the same. Our lessons are gojng to start next Monday. I am trying hard to keep calm and do one thing after the other. I have taught for 17 years now, but every new school year is still exciting. Hope you have a great start! Greetings!!
My side hustle is to work at an after school program tutoring and scoring the state assessments. It's exhausting, but it helps a little bit. I use to work summer school but the behaviors are so brutal that I had to stopped.
Watching this the morning, somewhat groggy after spending 1-8pm yesterday (Sunday) in my classroom. Sigh... I suppose this time of year, it is expected though.
One of the things I do not see acknowledged enough when ever teachers talk about work-life balance is the differences between teaching jobs. I have a friend who teaches five classes, all the same subject, is in charge of a upper level study hall for his sixth period, and then has a prep period for the 7th hour. He has taught the class for over fifteen years. Then you have my other friend who will be teaching six classes, five of which are different subjects. You have teachers who have teams where they share lesson plans and then someone like me who is the only person in my department. You have curriculum that is well-written and comes complete with all the supplementals. Then you have teachers who walk into their classroom and don't even have books. My first year, not only did I not have any textbooks, I had seven different lesson plans to create. Then there is the expectations for accommodations, parental contact, behavior, and turning in lesson plans that varies from school to school, sometimes varying even within the same district. One fellow teacher I knew spent over 30 minutes each night in modifications, record keeping, and meetings etc. for just ONE student. Then throw in items like getting assigned new textbooks or a new grade or subject, which hopefully you are licensed in and are more than one chapter ahead of the students. How long you have been teaching your classes and that textbook makes a huge difference in your prep work. Last year we got the updated version of the textbook I had been using for over eight years. I was shocked at how much a difference that made to my prep time last year. What I am trying to say is there is a huge difference between positions, some of them are a lot more labor intensive than others.
I love your videos! They have helped me so much as a first year teacher in my 40s. I have 2 side hustles. I teach a workout class 2 days a week and also run a flea market booth. Never enough time in a day😐
I teach middle school in NY, and my side hustle is judging marching band and color guard shows all over the country on weekends. I use my time on flights to catch up on grading, planning, etc.
Except in FL where Tampa is the #1 biggest growing city in the US and after 18 yrs with a masters I make 59k. One thing that sticks out in my mind is that I did the same in my 20s. I did it all. And I burnt out. I love those memories of all l did for my students.... that being said I'm now 45 with 3 dogs, a spouse and no kids. I was often looked down upon in elementary (I moved to middle school this year) for not volunteering for it all. They tried to convince my no to become yes to whatever they asked. Time and time again other teachers would say, "I have kids and a family and I can't, but you have more time than I do because you don't have kids". The narrative is just so wrong! My life = my choices. I chose not to have kids and to teach. That doesn't mean I have to give up my life outside of work to volunteer it away. 🙃 The guilt associated with teaching is mind blowing. Nobody questions a doctors schedule. 🙄
As a new teacher I’m prepping three classes 90 min block two different history classes. I’m assuming a minimum of planning i should be taking up 2 hours a day for all classes making slides and stuff and at max 3 hours of my spare time.
That sounds wrong. Why do teachers just accept this? It’s wrong to have to take home work when you’re paid for just the work day. Why do teachers nationwide acccept this? It sounds like the culture is wrong, like teachers and the unions need to take this on! You shouldn’t have to go home and still work and just say “oh it’s part of it!” They should pay you overtime if you have to do it, or you shouldn’t do it!! Are there states where this isn’t allowed? Cause it sounds like cheating!! It’s just wrong!!! Why do teachers just write it off as “oh it’s part of the job” etc?!
I agree. I'm looking to decrease as much time outside the classroom as possible. I do my job for money, I do not live to work. I work to live. I am not going above and beyond if I'm not paid. I will do my utmost best every hour in the classroom, but it ends there
She did, because that's what Genesis is. It's the Christian mythology of how the world came to be. A Creation story. There are many, and Genesis is only one of them.
Great video. Teacher side hustle: the average job is 260 work days a year. Teachers work 180. Why don’t teachers add 40 days to their contract and work 11 months a year?
Good luck for all the teachers around the world 🌎 it's a hard job but so noble. Scheduling is the hardest task. I hope I can be organized this year.
I wish that I would have come to this realization earlier in my career. I'm much better now, but I still work outside my contract time. The beginning of the school year is brutal for this middle school Special Education Teacher. While I'm setting up the IEP Progress Monitoring spreadsheets and student binders, I work about 10-20 hours more per week. However, once everything is set up, I've got it down to 4-6 hours per week.
Really loved the tone of this video! It’s not about hacks & time management, so much as prioritizing what’s important to you, and I think you did a great job of making that point. My key to work/life balance is leaving work at a decent hour. It varies for everybody, but for me, that’s 4/4:30. Anytime I start staying later than that, I find my mental health suffers and balance is out the window. Also not checking work email outside of that time! (except for Sunday night I always do Bc ain’t nobody trying to walk into work Monday morning into the middle of a situation/disaster completely unaware lol.)
As a teacher, I never got just how teacher-parents *do all of it*. I still don't... probably never will! Good luck to you this school year!
I went down to 1/2 time this year for a mental health break. Thank you side hustle. I go in around 6:45 right now to prep/grade, teach three classes, and leave at 11:00. It feels like true balance - I have an hour for lunch, I work on my side hustle, I clean and do home stuff, and then I pick up my daughter at 3:15 feeling completely at peace and unfrazzled, but I don’t think my district will let me do it forever.
Thanks for these important reminders (especially the last point)! I am teaching 3 high school science classes this year, and am struggling to feel like I am even close to staying on top of everything. These reminders to slow down and take time for me are always something that benefits not only my personal life but also overflows into my classroom as well. 😀
I tutor as my side hustle! I charge $30 an hour
Year 24 and I have learned to leave it for my mental health …it’s hard but I’m able to stay in the profession…
What you said about creating really gave me peace. Thank you!
So much of it is unseen!
I just don't work at home unless I absolutely want to! And when I absolutely want to, it's usually things I like that are fun! Which I think is pretty healthy.
This is a great topic, in my family we have had to face these challenges too, it has been fantastic to hear from you.
Wow thank you so much for sharing your work/life balance with us. It helps me to see that I’m not alone and we all struggle with this concept. I love how you are choosing to do life and how structured and organized you are but also careful to keep room
In your life to create. Loved the Bible reference as well. Keep up the great videos!!!❤️
I was looking for a video like this. I respect both mindsets- teachers that put in a ton of extra hours unpaid and teachers that don’t work any unpaid hours. I’m working towards the latter approach this year with the exception of a few hours here and there on passion projects
Exactly! No break. Plus, life is too expensive compared to the salary
YES to your last tip! We do not need to push ourselves to the brink of exhaustion!
I like your video a lot! I am a teacher in Germany. When it comes to being aware of work-life balance it is completely the same. Our lessons are gojng to start next Monday. I am trying hard to keep calm and do one thing after the other. I have taught for 17 years now, but every new school year is still exciting. Hope you have a great start! Greetings!!
My side hustle is to work at an after school program tutoring and scoring the state assessments. It's exhausting, but it helps a little bit. I use to work summer school but the behaviors are so brutal that I had to stopped.
Soo important to prioritize REST! Tfs and continued success with your endeavors!
Watching this as I grade papers on Labor Day 🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃
Watching this the morning, somewhat groggy after spending 1-8pm yesterday (Sunday) in my classroom. Sigh... I suppose this time of year, it is expected though.
The looks she gives me goosebumps
Lovely 🥰 Thanks for being such a healthy and wise role model!
One of the things I do not see acknowledged enough when ever teachers talk about work-life balance is the differences between teaching jobs. I have a friend who teaches five classes, all the same subject, is in charge of a upper level study hall for his sixth period, and then has a prep period for the 7th hour. He has taught the class for over fifteen years. Then you have my other friend who will be teaching six classes, five of which are different subjects. You have teachers who have teams where they share lesson plans and then someone like me who is the only person in my department. You have curriculum that is well-written and comes complete with all the supplementals. Then you have teachers who walk into their classroom and don't even have books. My first year, not only did I not have any textbooks, I had seven different lesson plans to create. Then there is the expectations for accommodations, parental contact, behavior, and turning in lesson plans that varies from school to school, sometimes varying even within the same district. One fellow teacher I knew spent over 30 minutes each night in modifications, record keeping, and meetings etc. for just ONE student. Then throw in items like getting assigned new textbooks or a new grade or subject, which hopefully you are licensed in and are more than one chapter ahead of the students. How long you have been teaching your classes and that textbook makes a huge difference in your prep work. Last year we got the updated version of the textbook I had been using for over eight years. I was shocked at how much a difference that made to my prep time last year. What I am trying to say is there is a huge difference between positions, some of them are a lot more labor intensive than others.
I love your videos! They have helped me so much as a first year teacher in my 40s. I have 2 side hustles. I teach a workout class 2 days a week and also run a flea market booth. Never enough time in a day😐
Im in my 40s and started teaching at 42. Energy levels needed for this job Is another level.
I teach middle school in NY, and my side hustle is judging marching band and color guard shows all over the country on weekends. I use my time on flights to catch up on grading, planning, etc.
I love and appreciate all of your words of wisdom!!
Awesome message!
I truly agree! I can totally relate! Thanks so much! Great post!😃👍
Great advice! Thank you
Thanks, all good reminders
Except in FL where Tampa is the #1 biggest growing city in the US and after 18 yrs with a masters I make 59k.
One thing that sticks out in my mind is that I did the same in my 20s. I did it all. And I burnt out. I love those memories of all l did for my students.... that being said I'm now 45 with 3 dogs, a spouse and no kids. I was often looked down upon in elementary (I moved to middle school this year) for not volunteering for it all. They tried to convince my no to become yes to whatever they asked. Time and time again other teachers would say, "I have kids and a family and I can't, but you have more time than I do because you don't have kids". The narrative is just so wrong! My life = my choices. I chose not to have kids and to teach. That doesn't mean I have to give up my life outside of work to volunteer it away. 🙃 The guilt associated with teaching is mind blowing. Nobody questions a doctors schedule. 🙄
You are super awesome!🥰
I have a side hustle teaching yoga.
Are trying to make me feel better cuz if this is sum kinda simpatico mind fuck I don't need it
As a new teacher I’m prepping three classes 90 min block two different history classes. I’m assuming a minimum of planning i should be taking up 2 hours a day for all classes making slides and stuff and at max 3 hours of my spare time.
That sounds wrong. Why do teachers just accept this? It’s wrong to have to take home work when you’re paid for just the work day. Why do teachers nationwide acccept this? It sounds like the culture is wrong, like teachers and the unions need to take this on! You shouldn’t have to go home and still work and just say “oh it’s part of it!” They should pay you overtime if you have to do it, or you shouldn’t do it!! Are there states where this isn’t allowed? Cause it sounds like cheating!! It’s just wrong!!! Why do teachers just write it off as “oh it’s part of the job” etc?!
I agree. I'm looking to decrease as much time outside the classroom as possible. I do my job for money, I do not live to work. I work to live. I am not going above and beyond if I'm not paid. I will do my utmost best every hour in the classroom, but it ends there
Did you call it the Creation Myth?
She did, because that's what Genesis is. It's the Christian mythology of how the world came to be. A Creation story. There are many, and Genesis is only one of them.
Great video. Teacher side hustle: the average job is 260 work days a year. Teachers work 180. Why don’t teachers add 40 days to their contract and work 11 months a year?
How much do you pay for daycare in california?
$2,000 a month